Officer involved shooting investigation; E 5th Avenue/Reeve Boulevard
Update 2/19/20:
Message from the Chief:
The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Officer Jason Cusack. He has been a member of the Anchorage Police Department (APD) since 2015.
During the incident, one of our officers was shot in the upper body. The bullet struck the officer’s badge, and then deflected into his body armor (see attached photos). While each investigation is different, in this case we felt it was important to share with everyone how close we came to having an officer seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. These photos are a stark reminder of the dangers our officers sometimes face while protecting our city. All of us at APD are thankful that he suffered only minor injuries.
We truly appreciate the messages of support we have received from the community, thank you!
The APD officer who was injured was not involved in the shooting, and is recovering quickly. He and his family prefer that we not release his name, so that they can continue to work through this traumatic event.
The suspect has been identified as a 16 year old male and his name will not be released at this time. Next of kin procedures have been completed.
Respectfully,
Chief Justin Doll
Update 2/16/20 12:40 p.m.:
Officers have cleared the scene.
5th Avenue is reopened.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Update 2/16/20 7:45 AM:
On 2/16/20 at approximately 3:30 AM, Officers with the Impaired Driving Enforcement Unit (IDEU) initiated a traffic stop on a red Ford Taurus at 5th Avenue and Reeve Boulevard. The vehicle was occupied by 1 male driver and 4 male passengers.
The preliminary investigation found that during the traffic stop, a male passenger in the back seat produced a gun and fired multiple shots at officers. Two officers were involved and were both shot at. One officer was shot in the upper body, and the other officer, uninjured, returned fire at the male suspect. The officer who was shot sustained minor non-life threatening injuries, which is largely a credit to the officer’s protective body armor. The suspect was shot in the upper body and died as a result of his injuries.
The deceased suspect’s identity will be released pending next of kin procedures.
Per policy, the state’s Office of Special Prosecutions (OSP) will review the officer’s use of force and determine whether or not it was justified. Once that has been completed, APD Internal Affairs will review the officer’s actions to confirm whether or not there was any violation of policy. As per APD practice, the officer will be placed on four days of administrative leave. His/her name will be released publicly 72 hours after the incident.
Once OSP has completed their investigation, their findings will be available for the public to review.
Correction: The area of 5th Avenue and Reeve Boulevard remains closed until further notice. The area was previously, incorrectly identified as 5th Avenue and Concrete Street.
To watch the entire press conference with Chief Doll, go to APD’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/APDInfo/videos/721137845083514/
Original 2/16/20 4:30 AM:
Officers are in the area of 5th Avenue and Concrete Street for an officer involved shooting investigation.
There will be a heavy police presence in the area of 5th Avenue between Reeve Boulevard and Concrete Street for several hours.
All westbound lanes of 5th Avenue are closed at Concrete Street until further notice. Please avoid the area and follow officers' commands as the investigation continues.
This is a developing investigation. More information will be forthcoming.
APD Case: 20-5632
